No idea about Hema committee; related demands: Rajinikanth

Superstar Rajinikanth on Sunday said he was not aware of the Justice K Hema Committee and demands to set up a similar panel in Tamil Nadu. When reporters asked him about the panel of the neighbouring state and several people demanding setting up in Tamil Nadu a panel like the Kerala's Justice Hema Committee, he told reporters: "What? I am not aware of it, sorry."

The Justice Hema committee was constituted by the Kerala government after the 2017 actress assault case. Last month, a redacted version of the Justice Hema Committee report on harassment faced by women in the Malayalam cinema industry was made public. It contains shocking accounts alleging harassment, exploitation, and ill-treatment of women professionals.

The 235-page report, published after redacting the names of witnesses and the accused, notes that the Malayalam film industry is controlled by about 10 to 15 male producers, directors, and actors who dominate and exert control over the industry.


The report of the three-member panel headed by a former judge of the Kerala High Court and set up by the state government in 2017, was submitted to the Pinrayi Vijyan-led Kerala government in December 2019, but was made public only this month.

Following the report, actor Mohanlal resigned as the president of the Association of Malayalam Movie Artists (AMMA) in the wake of the Justice Hema Committee report and sexual harassment allegations faced by some members of the executive committee.

On August 25, the Kerala government announced the establishment of a seven-member special investigation team (SIT) to investigate the case. (ANI)